Money belt

ABSTRACT

An improved, secure money holder comprising a flat pouch, no wider than a belt, adapted to attach to the inside of the belt with a zipper incorporated in the inner layer of the flat pouch. The preferred means of attachment is adhesive backed hook and loop fastener.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The Applicant claims the benefit of his Provisional Application,Serial No. 60/367,038, filed Mar. 25, 2002.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of protectingvaluables and particularly to the field of waist worn money belts.

[0003] Travelers frequently carry cash, travelers' checks and othervaluable documents with them. In order to safeguard these items frompickpockets and thieves, they frequently carry them in a waist wornmoney belt. The typical money belt has an internal pouch which isaccessible via a zipper on the inside, back of the belt. Thus, whenworn, it is impossible for criminals to secretly obtain access to thezipper and thus remove the valuables. However, for reasons ofpracticality and cost, such money belts are available in only a fewcolors and very plain designs. No belts are available in fashionabledesigns and in colors to match various outfits.

[0004] What is needed is a money belt that is fashionable, able to gowith various outfits and of reasonable cost. Development of such a beltrepresents a great improvement in the field of valuable protection andsatisfies a long felt need of the traveling public.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention is a flat pouch, with a zipper on one side,which removably attaches to the inside of any belt typically at therear. The pouch comprises an inner layer and an outer layer fastenedtogether at their edges. The preferred method of attachment is one ormore segments of hook and loop fastener. The pouch is the same width asregular belts and has one or more portions of hook or loop fastenerattached with double sided adhesive to its front side, i.e. the sidewithout the zipper. The pouch is preferably supplied in a kit with extraportions of adhesive backed hook or loop fastener. If the pouch issupplied with hook portions adhered to it, the extra portions are loopportions and vice versa. The extra portions are adhered by the user tothe rear of one or more belts using the double sided adhesive so thattheir spacing matches that of the portions already adhered to the pouch.Thus the pouch can be attached to and removed from any belt. Use of thisinvention satisfies the traveler's desire for a money belt that isfashionable, able to go with various outfits and of reasonable cost.

[0006] The present invention is conveniently fabricated by the followingsteps.

[0007] 1. Cutting the inner layer for the pouch out of a sheet ofmaterial, the inner layer being no wider than the belt the pouch willeventually attach to.

[0008] 2. Cutting the outer layer for the pouch out of a sheet ofmaterial, the outer layer being the same size as the inner layer.

[0009] 3. Cutting a medial opening in the inner layer.

[0010] 4. Fastening a zipper into the medial opening.

[0011] 5. Fastening the inner layer to the outer layer other aroundtheir edges to form a zippered pouch.

[0012] 6. Attaching the outer layer to the inside of the belt.Preferably this is accomplished with adhesive backed hook and loopfastener.

[0013] An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the presentinvention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to theaccompanying drawings and description of a preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is an exploded view from the rear of this invention.

[0015]FIG. 2 is an exploded view from the front of this invention.

[0016]FIG. 3 is a view from the rear showing this invention detachedfrom a belt.

[0017]FIG. 4 is a view from the rear showing this invention attached toa belt.

[0018]FIG. 5 is an expanded cross sectional view at the line 5-5 of FIG.4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] While the present invention is described herein with reference toillustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should beunderstood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those havingordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided hereinwill recognize additional modifications, applications and embodimentswithin the scope thereof and additional fields in which the presentinvention would be of significant utility.

[0020]FIG. 1 is an exploded view from the rear of this invention 10. Atthe rear or of this invention is the first layer of material 14.Fastened in a medial opening 18 in this first layer 14 is a zipper 22.Next is the second layer of material 26. Both layers 14, 26 are the samesize, approximately rectangular with a width no greater than the widthof a standard belt. Finally, there are one or more segments of adhesivebacked, hook and loop fastener 30. The hook and loop fastener 30 isshown separated on FIG. 1. Whether the hook 34 or loop 38 portion isoutermost or innermost is, obviously, immaterial. However, it isimportant that the portions 34, 38 are installed in alignment. On FIG. 1one can see the adhesive 42 on one portion and the loop face 46 on theother portion of the fastener 30.

[0021]FIG. 2 is an exploded view from the front of this invention. Atthe front of the invention are one or more segments of adhesive backed,hook and loop fastener 30. The hook and loop fastener 30 is shownseparated on FIG. 2. Whether the hook 34 or loop 38 portion is outermostor innermost is, obviously, immaterial but again, the portions 34, 38must be in approximate alignment. On FIG. 2 one can see adhesive 42 onone portion and the loop face 46 on the other portion of the fastener30. Next is the second layer of material 26. Finally there is the firstlayer of material 14 with the zipper 22 fastened in the opening 18.

[0022] This invention 10 can be made with any kind of material such asleather, nylon, cotton, etc. The layers of material 14, 26 can befastened together around their edges 50, 54 in any fashion such as bywelding, gluing and sewing. Once fastened together, they form a flatpouch 58 (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5). The interior 62 (see FIG. 5) of thepouch 58 is only accessible through the zipper 22. The hook and loopfastener 30 is sold under the trade name Velcro®. It can be procuredwithout adhesive but is typically supplied with double sided adhesive onthe rear of each portion.

[0023]FIG. 3 is a view from the rear showing the pouch 58 fullyassembled but detached from a belt 66. In this figure one can see therear 70 of the pouch 58 and the portions of hook or loop 48 adhered tothe rear 74 of the belt 66.

[0024]FIG. 4 is a view from the rear showing the pouch 58 attached to abelt 66. The pouch 58 will usually be supplied with several extraportions of adhesive backed hook or loop fastener 30 so that the pouch58 can be attached to several different belts 66 that the purchaseralready owns.

[0025]FIG. 5 is an expanded cross sectional view at the line 5-5 of FIG.4. What can be seen on FIG. 5, starting at the front, are the belt 66,the first layer of double sided adhesive 42, a segment of hook and loopfastener 30, the second layer of double sided adhesive 42, and the flatpouch 58. The segment of hook and loop fastener 30 is comprised of aportion of hook fastener 34 and a portion of loop fastener 38. Again,their exact order is immaterial but it will be noted that they are inalignment so that then can co-operate and make a fastener 30 when theportions 34, 38 are pressed together. The pouch 58 is comprised of thesecond layer of material 26 attached around the edges 50, 54 to thefirst layer of material 14 with he zipper 22 fastened into the opening18.

[0026] It can be appreciated from FIG. 5 that when the pouch 58 isattached to a belt 66 and the belt 66 is fastened around the user'swaist, the pouch 58 is hidden from view and the zipper 22 isinaccessible.

[0027] The following reference numerals are used on FIGS. 1 through 5:

[0028]14 First layer of material

[0029]18 Opening in first layer

[0030]22 Zipper

[0031]26 Second layer of material

[0032]30 Hook and loop of fastener

[0033]34 Hook portion

[0034]38 Loop portion

[0035]42 Layer of adhesive

[0036]46 Loop face

[0037]48 Hook or loop face

[0038]50 Edge of first layer of material

[0039]54 Edge of second layer of material

[0040]58 Pouch

[0041]62 Interior of pouch

[0042]66 Belt

[0043]70 Rear of pouch

[0044]74 Rear of belt

[0045] Thus, the present invention has been described herein withreference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Thosehaving ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachingswill recognize additional modifications, applications and embodimentswithin the scope thereof.

[0046] It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any andall such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope ofthe present invention

What is claimed is:
 1. An improved, secure money holder comprising: a) apouch, no wider than a belt adapted to attach to the inside of said beltand including an inner layer; and b) a zipper incorporated in said innerlayer.
 2. An improved, secure money holder comprising: a) a pouchincluding an inner layer and an outer layer fastened together at theiredges; said inner layer having a medial opening; said pouch being nowider than said belt; b) a zipper fastened to said medial opening; andc) means for attaching said outer layer to said inside of said belt. 3.A money holder as claimed in claim 2 in which said means for attachingis adhesive backed hook and loop fastener.
 4. A method of making animproved, secure money holder comprising the steps of: a) providing aninner layer for a pouch; said inner layer being no wider than a belt; b)providing an outer layer for a pouch; said outer layer being the samesize as said inner layer; c) cutting a medial opening in said innerlayer; d) providing a zipper adapted to fit in said medial opening; e)fastening said zipper into said medial opening; f) fastening said innerlayer to said outer layer around their edges whereby a zippered pouch iscreated; g) providing means for attaching said outer layer to saidinside of said belt; and h) affixing said means for attaching to saidouter layer and said inside of said belt.
 5. A method as claimed inclaim 4 in which said means for attaching is adhesive backed hook andloop fastener.
 6. A kit for providing a secure money container for abelt comprising: a) providing a pouch, no wider than said belt includingan inner layer and a zipper incorporated in said inner layer; and b)providing means for attaching said outer layer to said inside of saidbelt.
 7. A kit as described in claim 6 in which said means for attachingis adhesive backed hook and loop fastener.